


Lie to Me

by Madalena



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-05-07
Packaged: 2018-06-07 01:08:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6778849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madalena/pseuds/Madalena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maleficent helps Regina cope with a devastating loss, find closure and move on.</p>
<p>Please note the "Explicit" rating. If you don't like it, don't read. Or well, you can read, just skip the third part. Written before 5x20 "Firebird" aired, so some details deviate from canon. But the end result is the same and more than likely 5x21 "Last Rites" compliant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lie to Me

**Author's Note:**

> My way of coping. How can I be mourning a character that isn't even officially dead yet? I don't know. But everyone else is, and I'm no different in that respect. And if it has to happen, I would want it to be followed by this, since I also ship DragonQueen in addition to OutlawQueen (and OutlawDragonQueen, my OT3).

It had happened again.

She had lost her soulmate.

One moment he was there… the next… he was gone.

Regina should have learned to expect this by now. But she had trusted hope, trusted love… and once again been betrayed.

She didn’t even know how they got out of the Underworld. Or how they managed to bring his body back. She credited Henry for getting her out of there, she didn’t pay attention to any other soul who came back with them. Her not-so-little prince was the only one she had left.

Until they returned to Storybrooke, and Henry took her to the forest, where she would break the news to the Merry Men, and to dear, sweet Roland, and somehow tell him that his Papa wasn’t coming back.

She almost broke down at the edge of the forest, wondering if she should have let someone else do it - she’d heard some arguing between the Charmings as to whether one of them should go, release Regina from that burden - but Henry had shut them all down, insisted that Regina had to be the one to do it, because of any of them, she had known Robin the best, and Roland and the Merry Men deserved to hear it from her, and then they could mourn together.

And so her son maintained a steady presence beside her, holding her arm, letting her lean against a tree to get her composure back before heading towards the camp.

The camp came into view, busy as ever, and again Regina stopped short.

“Come on, Mom.” Henry urged gently. “They have to hear it from you. They loved him too. That’s why it has to be you.”

Regina bit her lip and fought back the tears, clutching Henry’s arm as they started moving again, walking into the middle of the camp, seeing how all of the Merry Men dropped what they were doing, feeling the sense of foreboding at seeing the Queen in their midst, without Robin by her side.

Regina’s eyes sought out Roland, and she finally spotted him, playing with Friar Tuck. As the camp grew quiet, Friar Tuck looked up and spotted them, face growing solemn.

Noticing that Friar Tuck’s attention had gone elsewhere, Roland also stopped what he was doing, looking around to see what had captured his attention.

Spotting Regina, he jumped up and ran to her.

“Gina! You’re back!” He said, hugging her legs. “Where’s Papa?”

Regina closed her eyes for a moment and steadied herself, then opened them again and crouched down to be level with Roland.

“Roland… Roland, I…” her voice broke. “Your Papa isn’t with us anymore. He has gone to be with your Mama. I’m so sorry sweetie. I tried to help, we all did… but there was nothing we could do. He was a hero. We will always remember him like that. I’m so sorry Roland.”

Roland started to cry with her, throwing his arms around Regina’s neck and holding on, letting her stand up, holding the boy in her arms. She closed her eyes and blocked out the rest of the world, just holding on to the boy, the part of Robin she still had left.

She felt a hand on her arm and opened her eyes, her dark ones meeting Little John’s blues. He nodded solemnly, and each of the Merry Men came up in turn and did the same, standing together as the family they were.

When Regina ran out of tears again, Little John came up and eased Roland out of her arms, taking him to his tent. Friar Tuck murmured something about funeral arrangements, and conferred with Henry, moving off to the side for a moment while Will Scarlet and Alan-a-Dale came up to support Regina in Henry’s absence.

“We know you loved him, Regina.” Will said. “We are here for you if you need us. You are always welcome here.”

“Thank you.” Regina said. “I… I don’t know what to do anymore. I…”

“Shhh.” Will said, rubbing her arm. “You don’t need to say anything.”

Alan-a-Dale spoke up quietly. “We know you care for the boy. And Robin told us long ago that if anything were to happen to him, that Roland had a home with you or with us, it is your choice, your majesty. And you don’t need to decide right away.”

“Thank you…” Regina sniffled. “I… I don’t know yet. In time, probably, I will want him with me, with us…” There was Robin’s daughter to consider as well. “But right now I still need to deal with all of this. I’m not ready.”

Alan-a-Dale nodded. “Take the time you need. The boy is safe with us. He’s family. And so are you.”

“Thank you.” Regina let out a sob again, burying her face in Will’s shoulder, and the two men eased her over to a bench, sitting her down, staying with her.

Regina fell silent, sitting with the men until Henry returned to her side. He took her arm, helped her stand and led her home, nodding to all of the men as they left.

* * * * *

Two days later, they buried Robin in the cemetery, not far from Regina’s vault. Regina stood by the side of the casket with Henry, Roland and Little John by her side. Friar Tuck led the service. As it finished, mourners drifted away, murmuring words of sorrow and sympathy to Regina and the Merry Men. The Charmings wanted to stay, to stay there and support Regina, but Henry urged them to depart, knowing how his mother felt about their presence and the role they’d played in Robin’s death.

Regina stood there, clutching Henry and Roland’s hands, until the gravediggers - two of the Merry Men themselves - had completely covered over the mound. Once they were done, the Merry Men also departed. Regina gave Roland a last hug and he headed off with Little John and the rest of them.

Leaving just Regina and Henry. They stood there by Robin’s grave until twilight fell around them. As the moon rose, another figure appeared in the cemetery, coming up to Regina’s other side, wrapping an arm around Regina’s shoulders.

Henry looked up to find Maleficent standing there.

“It’s all right, Henry.” Maleficent said quietly. “I’ve got her. You can go home for now. Rest. Your mother will need you in the days and weeks to come. But I have her right now.”

Henry looked to his mother and she nodded, tears still streaking her face. “It’s okay Henry. Mal knows me. She’ll be here. Get some sleep.” She said softly, kissing her son on the forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you too, mom.” Henry kissed her on the cheek, squeezed her hand once more and headed off to town. Regina wasn’t worried about him walking on his own. She was certain that the Charmings, for all their meddling, would be lurking not far away, and would be sure to take him home safely.

“Come, dear.” Mal said, turning Regina in the direction of her vault. “I’ve got you. Come with me and tell me everything.”

* * * * *

Once they made it down the steps into Regina’s vault, Regina slipped out of Mal’s arms and dropped to the floor sobbing. Despite her tears at the funeral, Mal could tell that even then the queen had been wearing a mask that hid the true depths of her anguish.

Mal sat down next to Regina, pulling her close and pressing her lips to her forehead. “Let it out, my dear. Let it all out. You know I’m here for you.”

“They… they didn’t send you did they?” Regina choked out.

“Who? The Charmings? No. They’re too busy feeling guilty about what happened. I came on my own. I know we haven’t seen much of each other since you returned Lily to me, but you know I do care for you Regina. With everything that has passed between us, do you still doubt me?”

“No, just… I worry that if I care for you as much as I would like to, that… that I’ll lose you too. Like I lost Daniel. And now Robin. I can’t lose you too.”

“I’m not going anywhere, my dear.”

“That’s what they said too. Didn’t stop others from taking them from me.”

“I know. And I’m so sorry that you’ve had to go through all that pain. But your loves have been terribly, painfully human. You don’t have to worry about that with me.”

“Is there a third chance for an evil queen?” Regina asked, still sobbing.

“There are as many chances as you give.” Mal said gently. “And you know he would want you to love again.”

“I know… but this soon… Mal, I…”

“I’m not expecting anything tonight, Regina. Of course not. I’m just here for you, in whatever way you want me. I just don’t want you to be alone.” Mal ran one of her hands over Regina’s silky hair.

Tears continued to stream down Regina’s face as Mal held her, not saying another word. Eventually, Regina ran out of tears again, and just curled into Mal, shoulders shaking as dry sobs still wracked her body. As more time passed, her shoulders stopped moving and her breath evened out. The queen had cried herself to sleep.

Mal stood carefully with Regina in her arms, venturing further into the vault. She knew that Regina kept a bedroom down there somewhere, as they’d spent the night there together not long after she had returned from the ashes.

She hadn’t been fooled for one minute from the time that Regina had set foot in Granny’s that night. She knew the queen had changed. That the love that was in her life had transformed her.

That’s how she knew that she could trust Regina with the mission to find her daughter. It was not something that she’d trust Cruella or Ursula with, since they had lost her in the first place. And why she wasn’t afraid to rekindle her feelings for the younger queen. But then the outlaw had returned to town, and Mal had put her feelings for Regina on the back burner. She knew how much the outlaw had meant to her queen.

But like all humans, he was just so… breakable. She knew the time would come, again, that the man would break and she would be there to pick up the pieces of the queen. She hadn’t thought it would be this soon, and her heart broke for the poor little boy that Regina was so fond of, the outlaw’s son. Mal knew that the outlaw would have wanted Regina to take care of his son. But she needed to take care of herself first if she wanted to be a mother again.

Finding the bedroom, Mal placed Regina on the bed gently, removing her shoes and pulling the blanket over her. This motion made Regina stir and she opened her eyes.

“Mal?” Regina asked softly.

“I’m here, Regina. I’m not going anywhere.” She sat down on the edge of the bed, holding the queen’s hand between hers.

“I…” Regina sat up and put her hands on Mal’s shoulders, pupils wide. “Lie to me.”

“Lie… to you?” Mal frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I know you can do it. It’s one of the first things a witch learns. You said you’d do anything for me. Just once, so I… so I can say goodbye.”

Mal finally understood what Regina meant. She reached a hand up and caressed Regina’s face gently. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Everything just happened so fast in the Underworld that… I didn’t even get to say goodbye. I know it wouldn’t be him, but… I can pretend. But only once. Don’t do it again after that even if I beg you.”

“I’m not sure I should even do it now.”

“Please, Mal. Please. I… I just want to feel his hands on me one more time.”

“You’re sure, Regina. There’s no coming back from it if we do this.”

Regina bit her lip and nodded. “I’m sure. Lie to me. Please.” She closed her eyes.

Mal closed her eyes as well, concentrating on the outlaw, summoning her strength into the transformation. She felt her body changing, her smooth silk clothing replaced by the rough cottons of the outlaw’s clothing, her hair growing shorter, body adjusting itself to male proportions. It was different than shifting to dragon form, very different, as she focused on making sure each detail was perfect.

When it was, she opened her eyes, resting her manly hand on Regina’s cheek again. “Regina?” She said with Robin’s voice.

Regina opened her eyes and melted into Mal’s - Robin’s - embrace. “Robin.” She whispered, pulling his familiar lips to her own. Mal responded, but let Regina lead and take the initiative. It was Regina’s fantasy, she was just playing a role.

Regina pulled them to their feet, taking off Robin’s jacket, vest and shirt, running her hands along the planes of his chest and stomach, hand lingering over the spot where Percival had stabbed him in Camelot. Even though Mal hadn’t known about that injury, the scar of it was still there in this image of him.

“Kiss me. Make love to me.” Regina breathed into Robin’s ear. “Let me feel you. Just this once.”

She pulled him in close for a kiss, and Mal took this as her sign to disrobe her, and she went to work pushing Regina’s jacket off of her shoulders and working her out of her dress, while Regina pulled Robin’s pants down his legs.

When they were standing there in their underwear, Mal pulled back from Regina and looked her in the eye. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I’m sure.” Regina said, poofing their undergarments away and pulling them onto the bed, resting back on the pillows, Robin hovering over her.

Regina closed her eyes and felt Robin’s lips tracing her collarbone, his hands running down her sides, his thighs settling between hers. She bit back a sob and concentrated on feeling the rough planes of his hands, his soft lips, everything that she wouldn’t have again, but could still feel for this one brief period of time.

Robin’s lips went to her breasts, tongue swirling around one nipple, then the other, making her gasp and feel the chill in the room. She reached her hands up, wrapping them around the strong shoulder blades, feeling the muscles beneath them, as Robin’s hands slipped towards her center.

One finger stroked down her core lightly, hovering at her entrance.

“Please.” She breathed. “Please. I want to feel you.”

Mal took that cue, slipping first one finger, then another, into the queen, then dropping her - Robin’s - mouth to her clit, circling the nub with her tongue over and over again.

Regina gasped and moaned as Robin’s fingers and mouth worked wonders, evoking pleasure where she was certain she couldn’t feel it anymore. But it wasn’t enough. She needed him… all of him.

“In me. Now.” Regina commanded softly.

Mal moved to her knees, coaxing Regina to open her eyes so she could see Robin’s cock, gently rubbing it over her nether lips. “Is this what you want?” Mal whispered.

“Yes. Please. Give me everything you’ve got.”

Mal stroked the cock a few times, and then lined it up, pushing softly into Regina, gasping herself as she she experienced this new and unfamiliar sensation. Mal certainly wasn’t new to shapechanging, but being in the body of a human man engaged in intercourse was a new experience for her, and she meant to enjoy it as well, as she would expect Regina would want her to.

“You okay?” She asked, brushing a strand of hair out of Regina’s face.

“Yes.” Regina whispered. “Please. More.”

Regina brought her lips to Robin’s as Mal started to move, thrusting into Regina, feeling her. Mal closed her eyes as the sensations swept over her, not stopping, shifting Regina’s leg so that she could move even deeper, returning her kisses and not letting their lips part.

Mal wasn’t sure if she had all of the powers of a man with this body, but whether she did or didn’t, she would go for as long as Regina wanted. For as long as Regina needed.

Mal moved one of Robin’s hands to Regina’s clit, stroking it gently as she continued her movements. She heard Regina’s breath start coming in harsher but shorter breaths, and she knew she was close, so she intensified all of her minstrations, thrusting deep and speeding up the strokes of her fingers.

Regina dug her nails into Robin’s back hard enough to break the skin, clenching around Robin’s cock as she came. She pulled her legs up behind his back, urging him onward, holding him tight. “Don’t stop.” She whispered. “Don’t stop.”

Mal did as Regina asked, and kept moving inside her, feeling rivulets of blood streaming down her - Robin’s - back, as Regina didn’t loosen her grip. She could handle the pain, those physical scars were nothing like the turmoil inside the queen’s heart right now, and she would go to the ends of the earth for her oldest friend.

As she kept moving, an unfamiliar pressure started building up, and it was at that moment that Mal knew that she was in a fully functioning male body, and she came deep inside Regina, slowing her pace to catch her breath. Regina accepted this slowing down, but didn’t release her hold on Robin’s back. She did, however, loosen her grip a bit so that she could stare into Robin’s deep blue eyes.

“I love you. I love you more than you will ever know.” The tears were back, but Regina didn’t want to stop gazing into those blue eyes. Those blue eyes that had left her forever.

“He knows.” Mal said softly, breaking the illusion, even if it was in Robin’s voice. She concentrated and changed back to her own body, sitting up with Regina as she started weeping again in her arms. “And you can tell him too. I know you can.”

“How?” Regina’s voice broke in the middle of the word.

“I can feel you brought a powerful magic back with you from the Underworld. In your coat pocket. It works here too.”

“The Ale of Sinead.” Regina whispered through her tears. “That works outside the Underworld? That works on someone who has passed from the Underworld to the world beyond it?”

“It does. Best in the early morning light. Lasts longer that way.”

Something in the back of Regina’s mind wondered why Mal would know that. But with her mind focused on Robin, she put that aside for now. She would ask the dragon about it later.

“Will you… come with me? I want you to meet him. Properly.”

“I’ll come with you. Never fear, my dear. I’ll make sure he knows you’re safe with me. That I’ll take care of you.”

Regina pulled out of Mal’s grasp and then wrapped her arms around her. Mal winced as she rubbed against the gashes on her back.

“I’m sorry.” Regina whispered. “I… I just wanted to hold on to him.”

“It’s okay.” Mal said, resting her head on Regina’s shoulder. “I understand. More than you know. But that’s not a story for tonight. Sleep now, love.”

For the first time since returning from the Underworld, Regina slept.

* * * * *

As the early dawn light filtered down the steps into the vault, Mal gently roused Regina. “It’s time to get up, love.”

Regina stretched and rolled out of bed, waving a hand to dress herself, not wanting to go through more effort. She patted the pocket holding the vial, assuring herself that it was still there. She leaned back against the wall of the vault, catching her breath.

“Ready?” Mal asked.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Mal took Regina’s hand and they ascended the stairs, silently making their way over to Robin’s grave. Regina pulled the vial out of her pocket, hand trembling as she unstoppered it and sprinkled some of the contents over the fresh grave. She held her breath, and then shapes started to appear.

She let out her breath when she saw Robin appear, but he wasn’t alone.

Next to him was Marian.

“Regina!” Robin said, opening his arms, embracing her. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Regina wept into his shoulder. “I… I’m sorry. For everything. For what happened to her. For bringing you along on that stupid trip into the Underworld. For what my sister did to you…”

“Regina. Regina. Listen to me. None of that was your fault. The woman who imprisoned Marian is not the person you are today. That’s why I brought her with me. I needed you to meet her. The real her.”

Regina pulled back from Robin to see Marian. Marian smiled at her, the serene smile of the peacefully dead. She carried herself differently than Zelena-as-Marian.

“Hi.” Regina said, wiping away her tears. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry for imprisoning you.”

“I know.” Marian said. “I know you are. I know that’s not who you are anymore. You’ve become a good woman, Regina. Don’t lose sight of that. Don’t lose sight of yourself again.”

“I’ll try not to. Robin was helping me, he was…” Regina broke down again.

“Shhh.” Robin said, pulling her close again. “And you’ll find that again. I believe you already have, haven’t you? You didn’t come alone.” He nodded to Maleficent.

“Oh… don’t think I could move on so fast… don’t think that…”

“Regina, calm down. I know. I know why you went to her. I know what you did with her. And I understand, love. I do. And I know that she cares for you. I know that for a long time, she was one of the only people who did. Remember what Daniel told you. Love again. It’s not only him saying it now. I want you to love again as well. Whether that be with Maleficent or someone else, it doesn’t matter. But you have a great capacity for love, milady. I want you to embrace it. In relationships and with the children.”

“Your son has changed you.” Marian said softly. “And so has our son. Take care of him for us, Regina. He needs a mother in his life. The Merry Men are wonderful and all, but he needs a mother’s touch too.”

“And our daughter.” Robin said mournfully. “I do wish she had the opportunity to know her father, but through you, she will. Don’t give up on Zelena. I do believe she will start making the right decisions. With you by her side, our daughter will do just fine. Won’t be the first child in Storybrooke with two mothers.”

Regina smiled half-heartedly. “I just wish you didn’t have to go.”

“I know, love. I know. But what is done is done. Know that I love you. And we trust you with our children. You are their mother now. And you…” Robin looked over Regina’s head to Maleficent. “You take good care of her.”

“I will, Robin. Don’t worry about that.”

“I love you.” Regina said fiercely, pulling Robin’s lips to hers, even as she felt him fading. “I will always love you.”

“I will always love you too. But don’t be afraid to love again.”

As the last wisps of Robin and Marian faded out of sight, Regina closed her eyes and started buckling to the ground. Mal rushed forward and grabbed her before she fell to the ground, instead easing her down gently.

“He’s really gone, Mal.” Regina sobbed, holding onto her. “He’s really gone.”

“I know, love.” Mal whispered, running her hand over Regina’s hair. “I know. But I am here for you. I’ll help you. Your sons will help you. Your daughter. We are all here. You’re not alone.”

Not alone. It didn’t replace the hole left by Robin’s absence. But it would be a start. Regina got to her feet and brushed off her dress. Clutching Mal’s hand, they made their way out of the cemetery and towards the awakening town, where their family would await them.

Love would grow in her heart again.


End file.
